Bitten
by Suzie's Q
Summary: Zombie Apocalypse AU. During a quiet moment while on the run, James discovers a bite.


This is for Jily AU Week, which was ages ago, but I'm getting around to posting all the stuff I wrote. Anyway, this is Day Five - Zombie Apocalypse. Here be angst, don't read if you prefer happy jily. Don't own Harry Potter. Or anything.

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**jily au week, day five, zombie apocalypse au  
in which james discovers a bite**

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**Bitten  
**Summary: Zombie Apocalypse AU. During a quiet moment while on the run, James discovers a bite.  
Pairing: J/L  
Word Count: 1,170  
Rating: K+

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They'd been nearly asleep, up against the wall, and it had been a few hours. Things had gotten quiet, but James still had a knife clutched tightly in one hand, a gun in the other. Lily was shivering, and her hands were shaking, her head lolling on his shoulder.

He took a deep breath, his eyes darting around as he wrapped an arm around his girlfriend's shoulders, cuddling her close to him. He was listening, for any sign of disturbance, even in the distance.

She let out a tiny whimper, and when she took his hand, hers was weak and frail, enough to make him glance down at her.

"Lily..." he whispered, frowning at her. Her face eyes were glassy and feverish, and when he laid a hand on her forehead, she was burning.

"Mmmm..." She shook her head, her breathing laboured and her eyes unfocused.

"Hey, hey, Lily, look at me," he muttered frantically, turning and bringing a hand to her cheek. "Lily?"

She groaned, shaking her head as her eyes fluttered shut. James realized what she was doing – she was holding out her arm.

James felt like someone had punched him in the chest; he went light-headed, he saw red, and he was barely aware that he was shaking his head frantically, holding her arm and staring at the blood, the deep tear in her skin, his body rigid and frozen with shock.

He started shaking. "No. No, no, this isn't happening. No."

"James . . ." she said weakly.

"_No," _he choked out, tears stinging his eyes. He looked away, swallowing and trembling violently. "No, I won't. Don't even think it."

"James . . ." she said again, softly. With horror, James realized that she was finding it difficult to speak, and her shoulders heaved every time she took a breath. "It's too dangerous. I don't want to be like them."

He shook his head, tears now streaming down his cheeks. "No, Lily, no," he muttered, his voice strangled. "Don't tell me. We'll figure something out. We have to." He made to wrap his arm back around her; she shook her head, holding his face in her hands.

"James . . . We couldn't figure something out for Remus, or Marlene . . . We don't have a choice," she whispered, wheezing for breath. The weapons in his hands clattered to the floor, his hands shaking too badly to hold them. He closed his eyes and leaned into her hand, his body racking with silent sobs.

"I can't, Lily. I just can't. Don't ask me to do that." He shook his head frantically, pulling away from her. He could barely even think, and somewhere in his mind he racked his brains for some way –_any way – _to save her, his whole body rejecting the idea. He felt sick to his stomach; he could _smell _the blood, and even in his frenzied state, he knew. He _knew . . ._

"James, listen to me," she whispered, reaching for him. She was grabbing the front of his shirt, but her grip was so weak that her hands slid away again. He caught them quickly and held them to his chest, shaking his head.

"No," he said again. "I won't. Lily, I can't."

"If you can't, then I'll have to," she whispered, tears streaming down her own face now. "And you know I'm not strong enough. I need you to do this for me. For me."

He shook his head, choking out violent, angry sobs. He could feel her thumbs brushing his cheeks, brushing his tears away.

"I love you," she whispered, her hands trembling almost as badly as his. "James . . ."

"Don't. Don't say goodbye, don't start that. I can't do it."

"You can," she gasped out, stifling a groan in pain. "James, it hurts. It hurts. I need you to help me." He could see it – she was pale, and her pupils were dilated. She was staring at him desperately, sweat gleaming on her forehead, and the cut – the _bite – _on her arm had turned blacker. She was shaking now, like she was about to pass out. And if he didn't help her, it would happen soon.

She fought to keep hold of his shirt, something to hold on to, and her eyes bored into his pleadingly. "I can't be like them. They're the reason – my mum, Remus . . . everyone. I won't be one of them. And I need you to help me."

She spoke firmly – or as firmly as she could, as her voice was shrinking and wobbling terribly – and with conviction, staring at James with her mouth in a hard line. Ready to die, he thought bitterly, squeezing his eyes shut to stop the tears. They didn't stop.

Her shaking hands went to the gun, and she took it up, pressing it into his hands imploringly, while she fought to keep her breathing steady.

"We'll go together," he said desperately, clinging to her. He couldn't, he couldn't be the one. He'd sooner shoot himself in the head before harming her. "I can't lose you."

"I won't _be _me," she whispered, her eyes starting to lose focus. "I won't know you, and I won't care about you, and I could hurt you. And I won't do that. I won't let that happen." She was crying freely now, shaking her head. "I love you, James."

He shook his head, putting his forehead on his knees and taking deep breaths, tears falling rapidly. "Hey," she whispered, smiling at him weakly. "Come on, look at me. I want you to be the last thing I see."

Her words sliced through him more effectively than if someone had carved his heart out of his chest and shredded it to pieces. But she _needed him. _His hands were shaking, and the world was tumbling down around him, his whole world ending because _she_ was his whole world, and he couldn't live without her, but she needed him, and if anything had ever made him strong, it was that.

He blinked rapidly, trying to clear his eyes so he could see her face, so he could memorize every last detail of it, her eyes gleaming and full of light and life, because in a few seconds, they wouldn't be.

"It's okay," she forced out, her voice thick from tears. "It's okay."

"No, it's not," he muttered, taking shaky breaths and staring at her, silently begging her to change her mind. "Isn't there anything . . .?"

"No. Do it, James. Please." Her hand closed over his around the gun, pulling his arm upwards.

"No –" he started again, but she just shook her head.

"It's getting worse," she coughed out, breathing ragged. "Now, James." Her hand tightened over his, and she smiled at him as best she could. Despite the absurdity of the thought, James couldn't help but think how beautiful she was. "Together," she whispered.

He nodded, giving up on catching his breath, and lifting his arm. "Together."

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Thanks for reading, reviews are appreciated.


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